Sleeve extender



Jan. 20, 1959; L: B. SHEFFER "2 ,869,766

sLEEvE EXTENDER fFile'd Oct." 18. 1956 LOWELL B05751? .SHEFFER- INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY United States Patent 2,869,166 sLEEvE. EXTENDER Lowell Buster Shelfer, Los Angeles, Calif.

pp c t o c o er 1 .1956,. rial;.N0- 16,

1 Claim. (Cl;223-74) This invention relates to an improved sleeve extender, and has for one of its principal objects, the provision of a device of the class described which will enable the ready extension or spreading of the sleeve of a coat or other garment for purposes of pressing, cleaning or similar work.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a sleeve extender which can be readily inserted into the sleeve of a garment and as readily withdrawn as it has served its purpose, and which will not distort the lining or any other portion of the sleeve when it is being so withdrawn.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a sleeve extender or spreader, of a construction which will fit practically any size of sleeve and with no change in the dimensions or proportions of the device itself.

Yet another object is to provide a sleeve extender for the above described purposes which can be readily maneuvered with one hand, leaving the other hand of the operator free for holding the sleeve itself, or for other purposes.

A still further important object of this invention is the provision of a more efficient and suitable sleeve extender, which will serve the same purpose as the extender now almost universally employed for spreading sleeves of garment for pressing and similar purposes, but which can be much more readily handled and operated and which will compare favorably so far as actual cost is concerned.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved sleeve extender of this invention showing the essential portions thereof.

Figure 2 is another view of the sleeve extender showing the same in full lines in retracted or compressed position and in normal extended position in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a view of the sleeve extender of this invention and illustrates the same in actual operating positions in the sleeve of a garment.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numerals and 12 indicate generally the two rigid portions of a sleeve extender, and these are substantially the same as those which have been employed for this purpose by tailors, cleaners, pressers and the like for many years. These elements 10 and 12 are usually composed of wood and are shaped as shown with a substantially semi-circular cross section throughout, as indicated in Figure 4.

The elements 10 and 12 are adapted to be maintained in a normal separated or extended position by means of 2,869,766 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 a pair of leaf springs-14; and 16 respectively, which are attached to the middle portions ofthe elements 10 and 12 by means of screws, rivets or the like as best shown omitted, and the springs 14 and16made unitary in someconstructions.

Also fastened to. the middle portions ofthe spreader elements llliandd-zis a pair of operating handIes-ZZ and 24 prospectively, and. these likewise each termiiiatein a hinge: 26, which" is s similarly fastened to the respective portions 10 and 12 by screws, rivets or bolts 28, also as best shown in Figure l.

The manipulating handles 22 and 24 are crossed and pivoted together at 30, terminating in projecting portions 32 and 34 respectively, which are adapted to be gripped by the hand or fingers of the operator.

These handle portions 32 and 34 pass through screweyes or similar loop elements 42 and 44 respectively, likewise as best shown in Figure 1; and these loop elements are of a sufficient size to permit a free movement of the handle portions 32 and 34 therethrough. These screw-eyes or loop elements 42 and 44 are suitably fitted or fastened into the adjacent ends of the spreader elements 10 and 12.

From an inspection of Figure 2, it will. be evident that the entire device can be retracted or compressed from its normal extended position, as shown in Figure 1, and the dotted lines in Figure 2 to a restricted position, as shown by the full lines in Figure 2, this being accomplished by mere squeezing of the handle portions 32 and 34 together or toward each other.

In this position the spreader can obviously be readily inserted into the sleeve of a garment or the like and with no possibility of tearing or otherwise marring the lining or other portions of the sleeve, which is indicated by the reference numeral 50 in Figure 3. The coat or other garment is indicated by the reference numeral 52.

One of the disadvantages of earlier structures resides in the fact that withdrawal of the spreader 10-12 from a sleeve 50, after its purpose has been accomplished, is often dillicult because the operator must either insert his hand to a considerable distance inside the sleeve 50 in order to retract the spreader for withdrawing purposes, which in itself will mar the finished appearance of the sleeve.

Conversely the operator can simply pull on the protruding end of one of the spreaders now in use, which pulling action very often distorts or catches and tears the sleeve lining.

Obviously, the manual retraction of the spreader elements 10 and 12 by manipulation of the handles 32 and 34 will serve two important purposes. First, it will permit the ready and easy insertion of the device into a sleeve; and second, it will also permit the ready and easy withdrawal of the same from the sleeve after the desired operation has been completed. In the interim the device will probably serve its purpose because of the action of the spring elements 14-16, which in addition to extending the forward portions of the elements 10 and 12, will also serve to similarly extend the rearward portions thereof because of the spring-like action on the crossed handled elements 22-32 and 2434.

It will be evident that herein is provided .a device which will adequately and efiiciently serve as a sleeve extender for tailoring and pressing purposes, which will not interfere in any way with the material or structure of the sleeve while being used, which will save a great deal of time and annoyance, so far as the operator is concerned, and which additionally can be produced at little if any increase in cost of manufacture.

, vention, and I, therefore; do not propose limiting'the patent grantedhereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art. I p

I claim as my invention:

A sleeve extender for garments, comprising a pair of bars, resilient means betweentthe bars for normally maintaining the same in separated extended position, and handle means between the bars for retracting the same against the tension of the spring, said resilient means comprising a two-part leaf spring, hingedly connected at its outer ends, said leaf spring fixedly connected to the respective bars at their inner ends and said handle means 1 2,662,673

comprising a pair of rods pivotally connected together-W adjacent their middle portions, the outer ends of said rods projecting beyond the juxtaposed ends of the bars, said rods slidably connected to the ends of the bars adjacent the juxtaposed outer ends, the inner ends of the rods hingedly connected to the bars, and the hinged connection of the rods to the bars being adjacent the fixed connection of the springs to the bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 454,666 Rand June 23, 1891 2,104,111 Barnett Ian. 4, 1938 2,485,257 Caldwell Oct. 18, 1949 Amber Dec. 15, 1953 

